Ian Scott, 57th Grand Prior of England, makes history

Ian Scott has been installed as 57th
Grand Prior of England of the Sovereign Military
Hospitaller Order of Malta, in a historic and moving
ceremony held at St.John’s Church, Clerkenwell,
officiated by Mons. Antony Conlon, Conventual
Chaplain ad honorem of the Grand Priory. Ian Scott
is the second Scottish Grand Prior since the Order
was established at Clerkenwell in 1101.

The new Grand Prior is a well known former
advertising executive and historian with a
specialist interest in the convergence of Russian
and European architectural and art history. He
advises the Order of Malta on the restoration of
important properties, such as the church at the
historic villa on Rome's Aventine Hill, the only
church designed by Piranesi. He is multilingual.

He is also an
authority on the history of the Hospitaller knights
and has guided the Grand Master and other senior
members of the Order on visits to a number of the
buildings associated with it, notably the great
fortress of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria.

Background
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, commonly known
as the Order of Malta, has its origins in a hospice
for pilgrims established in Jerusalem before the
first crusade in 1099. It is therefore the oldest
order of chivalry in the world and one of the oldest
religious orders, receiving its first Papal Bull in
1113.

Originally all the members were professed
religious who took the usual monastic vows of
celibacy, of obedience and poverty. These, known as
the knights of Justice, remain the essential core of
the Order. In addition to their number there are
knights who take a special Vow of Obedience and a
numerous class of ordinary members. All are members
of a religious order.

As the Order grew, it was established in
different countries where the principal house was
known as the Grand Priory. The Grand Priory of
England was established before 1140 at Clerkenwell
and its activity soon spread to Scotland, where it
was based at Torphichen. The Grand Priory was
suppressed by Henry VIII and several knights were
executed by him. There was a brief revival under
Queen Mary. In Scotland the Order ceased to exist
after 1560 the date of the Reformation in that
country.

The Grand Priory was revived in 1993, the first
Grand Prior was Fra’ Matthew Festing, who is now
Grand Master of the Order. The Grand Priory
comprises 7 knights of Justice and 20 knights in
Obedience.

Following the death of Fra’ Fredrik Crichton-Stuart
earlier this year, Ian Scott of Ardross was elected
57th Grand Prior.

The Orders of St John in Britain
The Order of Malta in Britain has long enjoyed close
and friendly relations with the Order of St. John
which obtained a Royal Charter in 1885. Both Orders
have the same hospitaller and charitable objectives.
They run the Orders of St John Care Trust, the
second largest not for profit care provider in the
UK, currently operating over 70 homes and five extra
care schemes in four counties (Lincolnshire – 16;
Wiltshire – 20; Oxfordshire - 17 and Gloucestershire
– 19). The Trust is responsible for the care of over
3,500 residents and employs c. 3,500 staff. The
varied range of care services includes residential,
nursing and dementia care, and intermediate,
respite and day care (www.osjct.co.uk).

It is thanks to the kindness of the Order of St.
John that the installation of the new Grand Prior,
on 13 October, took place in the crypt of the church
of St. John in Clerkenwell, now its property, but
formerly that of the medieval knights.

The Order of Malta today
The aims of the Order of Malta are to live by
Christian example and to help the poor and the sick,
regardless of religion or race. The worldwide Order
of Malta has its headquarters in Rome. The Order
currently has well over 100,000 medical personnel,
members and volunteers working to relieve poverty
and sickness, and runs numerous hospitals, leper
colonies, specialist clinics and old people’s homes,
as well as providing emergency aid to disaster areas
throughout the world.

WORLD YOUTH DAY, Madrid, August 2011

Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV) were there. Anna Webb reports:

I didn’t know what to expect from WYD. I didn’t
expect the heat. I didn’t expect the crowds. I
didn’t expect a nice hotel. I didn’t expect two
million young Catholics from all over the world
joyfully praising God and celebrating the
universality of our Church. As we walked down the
streets, groups of youth were identifiable by their
team ‘uniforms’ and the national flags they proudly
carried (although after the fortnight this could be
a dubious method of identification as everyone had
swapped flags with other nations for t-shirts or for
anything they could!).

The climax of the event was the overnight vigil
with the Pope. As we arrived, people were chasing
after fire engines, desperate for the water they
would spray on us to cool us down. There was no
escape from the heat on the airfield, but the spirit
wasn’t dampened. As we began the vigil however,
clouds gathered ominously above and soon we were
being soaked. Having arrived in blazing sunshine,
few of us were prepared for the rain. As the Pope
began his address, the wind picked up and the storm
truly set in. In front of us was the Pope and behind
us the most incredible lightning against a thick
grey sky - we didn’t know where to look! Everyone on
stage tried to usher the Pope inside to safety but
he refused to leave, wanting instead to be united
with us as we sang our way through the storm. As the
skies cleared, the Blessed Sacrament was brought out
and a silence fell across the airfield as we knelt
in adoration.

Anna Webb
OMV

The Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV) are a
group of volunteers aged 17 to 29. Allied to the
Order of Malta, they run holidays and religious
pilgrimages for sick or disabled adults and
children. The OMV crucially gives young people the
opportunity to ease the pain and hurt of people
living with illness or those suffering from social
exclusion. For more information:
www.omv.org.uk

DRIEST YEAR IN HORN OF AFRICA SINCE 1995

Food crisis widens: the Order of Malta distributing emergency food in Kenya

9 August 2011

Hunger in the Horn of Africa, Marsabit, Kenya, August 2011 (Picture: Reuters)

The food crisis at the Horn of Africa continues
to affect 12.4 million people in Djibouti, Ethiopia,
Kenya and Somalia. Malnutrition and mortality rates
are extremely high in many regions. The latest
report of the UN Office for Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns: ‘Humanitarian
organisations are struggling to cope with the influx
of Somali refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Malnutrition and mortality rates are alarmingly high
in many parts of the region.’

International aid is coming in from the UN World
Food Programme, from the United States, France,
United Kingdom. The Order of Malta is on the ground
in north eastern Kenya, providing food aid and
supporting local populations. Ute Kirch, emergency
relief coordinator for the Order of Malta’s
international relief service, explains: “People
here live traditionally on livestock, but pastures
have driedup, the cattle are dying, and there’s no
more food – they have used up all their reserves.”

The need is great Last week, the Order of Malta started its
first phase distribution of food items – tonnes of
rice, beans and oil - in four villages in the
Marsabit district of Kenya, near the border with
Ethiopia – to a population of 17,000. A fifth
village is scheduled for distribution in the coming
week.

In Segel, 30 km from Marsabit, 49 herder
families have received food aid. The families
have come from a different region, as there was
no more food for the cattle where they lived.

In Laisamis - between Marsabit and Isiolo -
food has been distributed to almost 3,000
people. At greatest risk: undernourished
children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers,
the elderly, the sick, and those with special
needs. They have received an additional protein-
and vitamin-enriched supplement. As the
registration process in the local health centre
continues, the number of residents receiving aid
will increase.

In Sakardala, 12 km from Laisamis, with
2,000 inhabitants, food items have been
distributed to critical groups - elderly
residents and their families - with more target
groups to be added in the coming days.

In Kargi, about 75 km from Marsabit, the
Order’s medical teams are in the process of
registering those needing aid. It is already
evident that the need is great.

The Order of Malta is working towards a
sustainable approach in the region.

Thanks to the support of the humanitarian
diplomatic network of the Order of Malta and its
Associations around the world, the first response of
the Order’s international relief services to the
emergency has been funded.

How to help
Every donation, however modest, is most gratefully
received. It will mean the Order of Malta can
continue to give support to those who are suffering,
to prevent them dying of starvation.

You can donate online through our website (www.justgiving.com/fas),
or by sending a cheque made payable to BASMOM
Foreign Aid Service. UK taxpayers may wish to
complete a Gift Aid form.

The Order of Malta’s international emergency
relief organisation, Malteser International, has
been working in Kenya for the past ten years,
including providing assistance in Marsabit in the
2009 crisis, where it was able to save numerous
lives.

Italian sunshine, the seaside, 23 nations – and 20 Ferraris!

The Italian Association of the Order hosts the 28th Order International Summer Holiday Camp for young handicapped

1 August 2011

Team GB in Venice

Catherine Orchard, OMV member, reports:

Last week, the Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV)
sent ‘Team GB’ to the 28th Order of Malta
International Holiday Camp which this year was
hosted by the Italian Association at Lignano
Sabbiadoro, Udine. This year’s team included 8
guests, 13 helpers and Fr John, our Chaplain; it was
a mixture of Camp veterans and those coming to the
camp for the first time. Everyone had a great week,
and many international connections were established
as 23 countries were represented – including a team
from Australia!

The Christopher's Cup croquet competition

The theme of this year’s Camp was “You are the
light of the world”, which was celebrated with a
specially written song by the son of one of the
Camp’s founders and popstar, Nicolò Cavalchini.

The Camp accommodation was 200 metres from a
wheelchair accessible beach, so we enjoyed soaking
up the Italian sunshine and swimming in the sea
after a busy day of activities. Excursions included
horse riding, a parrot park and the awesome surprise
of about 20 Ferraris appearing ready to go for ‘a
spin’ around the camp. There were also visits to
Padova for a beautiful Mass at the Basilica of St
Anthony, as well as to Venice, by boat, to enjoy the
sights and atmosphere of St Mark’s Square.

Excitement is already building for next year’s
Camp, which will be in Hungary from 4th – 11th
August 2012 – at the same time as the Olympics!

This is the 28th International Summer Camp
organised by the Order for young handicapped. Order
members and young volunteers take turns each year to
plan and host it, arrange sponsorship and funding,
and run the week.

Election of the 57th Grand Prior of England

London, 24 July 2011

On Saturday, 23rd July, Ian Scott of Ardross was
elected 57th Grand Prior of England of the Sovereign
Military Hospitaller Order of Malta at a Chapter of
the Grand Priory held at the Church of St Birinus in
Dorchester-on-Thames. The new Grand Prior succeeds
Fra’ Fredrik Crichton-Stuart who died in June this
year. Ian Scott of Ardross is the second Scottish
Grand Prior since the Order was established at
Clerkenwell in 1101.

The Grand Priory of England was suppressed in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st and only re-established
in this country in 1993. The aims of the Order are
to live by Christian example and to help the poor
and the sick, regardless of religion or race.

The worldwide Order of Malta has its
headquarters in Rome and its leader is the Prince
and Grand Master, Fra’ Matthew Festing OBE, who
hails from Northumberland. The Order currently has
well over 100,000 medical personnel, members and
volunteers working to relieve poverty and sickness
and runs numerous hospitals, leper colonies,
specialist clinics and old people’s homes, as well
as providing emergency aid to disaster areas
throughout the world.

Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart, Grand Prior of
England, died at his home in Edinburgh early today
after a long illness. Fra' Fredrik joined the Order
of Malta in 1962, and in 1993 on the restoration of
the Grand Priory of England, he was appointed
Chancellor, becoming Grand Prior in 2008. For many
years he was also Delegate of Scotland and the
Northern Marches for the Order, and was a tireless
worker for the sick and the needy, assisting in the
weekends for the handicapped held regularly at
Kielder as well as being an effective and long
standing Chairman of Dial-A-Journey in mid Scotland,
an organisation he served devotedly up until his
death.

Freddy, as he was always known, was born in 1940,
the eldest son of Lord Rhidian Crichton-Stuart. He
was educated at Ampleforth and brought up in
Scotland and North Africa where his father had
business interests. His long career included spells
in industry and farming and he was a Chartered
Accountant with his own practice until his
retirement. He was an officer in the Territorial
Army, and a trustee and later Chairman of Una Voce
Scotland, and he sat on the boards of a number of
charities in Scotland.

Fra’ Freddy Crichton-Stuart was a man of prayer
whose love of and commitment to the Order of Malta,
its traditions and works, was exemplary and
inspirational.

The condolences of the many members of the Grand
Priory of England and the British Association of the
Order of Malta are extended to his family and his
many friends, both within and outside the Order. Requiescat
in pace.

St John’s Hospice celebrates its new look

Moving ceremony, led by the Archbishop of Westminster, marks the event

London, 25 May 2011

Lord Guthrie shows Archbishop Nichols around the new Hospice

Friends, staff and volunteers at St John’s
Hospice joined the Archbishop of Westminster, the
Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, and the Chairman of
the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, Lord
Guthrie, at a Mass and blessing of the new Hospice
earlier this week. In his homily, Archbishop Nichols
spoke of the consolation to be found in the Psalms
and reminded that ‘Our Christian faith is not a
superficial version of optimism,’ he said. ‘It takes
the messy reality of life seriously. But in every
darkness there is a light that shines.’

The Annunciation mosaic, by Arthur Fleischmann

The Hospice cares for around 2,000 people every
year who are suffering terminal illnesses. The care
model is underpinned by respect for every patient’s
dignity and their physical, emotional and spiritual
needs. It is based at the Hospital of St John & St
Elizabeth, London NW8.

If you would like to make a donation, please
contact the fundraising department: T 020 7806
4011 or E
fundraising@hje.org.uk

Prime Minister David Cameron opens new Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) community care facility in Chipping Norton

Chipping Norton, 13 May 11

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Chairman Peter Loyd

Trust Chairman Peter Loyd welcomed Prime Minister
David Cameron to the Chipping Norton War Memorial
Community Hospital and Henry Cornish Care Centre on
the occasion of its official opening. On a tour of
the new premises the Prime Minister had the
opportunity to meet many residents and staff. After
a short service by the Home’s two chaplains, the
Chairman officially welcomed the honoured guest. ‘It
is great to share this exciting project with you,’
the Prime Minister said. ‘It is one whose
development in my constituency I have followed with
passion.’

The Community Hospital provides an outpatient
unit offering a range of services in the region, and
includes a maternity unit complete with two birthing
pools. Alongside the hospital, the Care Centre
offers a home for 50 older adults. All its light and
spacious rooms are for single occupancy, have
ensuite facilities, and a selection of power
sources, including for internet connections. The
home also offers its residents a range of
activities, social outings, pastimes and hobbies.

The OSJCT is a joint project of the Order of
Malta and the Venerable Order of St John. The Trust
focuses on giving older people care, both material
and spiritual, and in ensuring that they enjoy life
in an atmosphere of warmth, harmony and
understanding.

The Order’s 53rd annual international pilgrimage to Lourdes

Led by Hospitaller Tim Orchard, the British
Association of the Order of Malta brought 60 malades
and 250 helpers, priests and nurses, a solid lineup
of old stagers and first timers, to the 53rd
international pilgrimage of the Order. They joined
the thousands of pilgrims who had flocked from all
over the world – from many European countries, and
from as far away as Chile, the Philippines, Senegal,
Australia, the United States – to take part. The
total was almost 7,000, representing 35 countries,
and included 1,400 malades and 170 chaplains of the
Order.

In splendid spring weather, Grand Master Fra’
Matthew Festing led the joyous event, accompanied by
members of the Sovereign Council. Among this year’s
participants was the President of the Republic of
Malta, George Abela, who took part in the principal
religious ceremonies together with the Grand Master.
The Sunday Pontifical Mass was celebrated by the
Prelate of the Order, Archbishop Angelo Acerbi and
the Procession of the Eucharist was presided over by
the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan.

The Order’s pilgrims were also able to share in
the beatification of His Holiness Pope John Paul II,
with a prayer vigil on Saturday evening and direct
transmission of the ceremony of the beatification
from St Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday.

The Grand Master met very many of the malades,
and presented each first timer – malade, Order
member, volunteer – with the Order of
Malta’s pilgrimage medal.

Order of Malta activities in Europe emphasise the homeless, the elderly, and minorities

European Hospitallers of the Order meet in Cambridge, UK

Cambridge, 3 April 2011

Grand Hospitaller Albrecht von Boeselager with the Hospitaller of the British Association Tim Orchard (left) and the Vice Hospitaller Nicolas Reuttner (right)

The European Hospitallers of the Order of Malta,
who are responsible for all the charitable
activities of their Assocations, met at the weekend
in Cambridge for their annual conference to review
the Order’s charitable works across Europe.

Led by the Grand Hospitaller, Albrecht von
Boeslager, and hosted by the Hospitaller of the
British Association, Tim Orchard, the group reported
on their works over the past year and discussed next
steps.

Highlights included overviews of current
activities in Romania, a country with the second
lowest poverty rate in Europe, and in Hungary -
in both countries, ongoing care and education of the
Roma population is a priority. A project in
Switzerland collected and shipped 18,000 tons of
goods to the poorest European countries and to
Africa, the Middle East and as far away as Timor
Leste. In Britain, the Orders of St John Care Trust,
which runs 73 homes in four counties with a turnover
of £100 million, has recently implemented an
innovative scheme to create 1950s
‘reminiscence suites’ for dementia sufferers, which
is proving very effective. Soup kitchens in Madrid
and St.Petersburg, two barges on the Seine in Paris
for the homeless, and two hospices for the homeless
in Belgium, with another opening shortly, and
medical care for the refugees arriving in their
thousands on the Italian island of Lampedusa
were among other projects reported on.

Members from the Order’s Associations in America
also attended and described some of their many
activities country wide, amongst which is a prison
ministry project , an ongoing reconstruction project
in New Orleans, where the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina is still evident, as well as programmes for
the handicapped and homes for young single mothers.
Like the European Associations, all three
Associations in the United States carry out visiting
services for the sick and elderly housebound.

In closing the meeting, the Grand Hospitaller
emphasised that ‘These activities demonstrate once
again that the Order of Malta is on the ground for
the long term.’

Changes at the top for Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief service

Cambridge, 1 April 2011

Newly elected Malteser International President, Johannes Heereman (left) with Nicolas de Cock

After 14 years at the helm of Malteser
International, President Nicolas de Cock de Rameyan
has stepped down. ‘These have been formative years
for the organisation and I am proud to look back on
the progress we have made in assisting so many
people in developing countries,’ he said. ‘We are
combating extremes of poverty, providing basic
health care for local populations, and helping them
build a future for themselves and their families
with health education and microfinance programmes,’
he said. ‘Important priorities are clean drinking
water, vaccination programmes, first aid training.’

The newly elected President is Johannes Heereman,
who brings to the post his extensive experience in
developing and running the German Malteser
Hilfsdienst operation for over 25 years. He plans to
focus on building up decentralised administrative
structures in Asia and the Americas.

With a budget of over 29 million Euros,
Malteser International has over 100 projects in 22
countries. Current work in disaster relief: Haiti,
Pakistan and Japan. In Africa, Malteser
International’s activities focused on rehabilitation
and development.

Following the earthquake and tsunami which
ravaged Japan on March 11, Malteser International,
the relief service of the Order of Malta for
worldwide humanitarian aid, is in close contact with
its partners in the country – the Jesuits, the
Franciscans and Tokyo’s Catholic University. Via
local partners – like catholic parishes - Malteser
International will provide support. Secretary
General Ingo Radtke outlines plans: “We will provide
second-phase assistance - for example, in the early
recovery phase and in the rehabilitation of affected
communities.”

Malteser International has provided €25,000 from
its emergency relief fund for emergency aid in
Japan, adding to the €50,000 already made available
by Caritas International.

The tsunami warning for the whole Pacific region
also tested other projects of the Order. Measures
which have been installed in Malteser
International’s project region in West Papua since
July 2010 operated perfectly: all the inhabitants
in the 11 villages in the project region in Manokwari/West-Papua
were evacuated in good time and have now returned
safely to their villages.

Donations: the British Association of the Order
will pass all donations on to the Malteser
International work in Japan. Cheques made payable to
BASMOM FAS should be sent to: BASMOM
FAS, BASMOM Secretariat, 58 Grove End Road, London
NW8 9NE or donate online at www.justgiving.com/FAS.

Malteser International is the worldwide
relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for
humanitarian aid. The organisation provides aid in
about 200 projects in more than 20 countries without
distinction of religion, race or political
persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian
principles of impartiality and independence are the
foundation of its work. For more information:
www.malteser-international.org.

The Zephyr debates: the third in a series of lectures to explore topical and controversial ethical issues

Organised by the British Association of the Order of Malta

The third debate in this series examined
the very topical issue ‘Is There Anything Wrong with
Altering the Genes of Future Generations?’ presented
by Dr David Albert Jones, Director of the Anscombe
Centre for Bioethics in Oxford (formerly the Linacre
Centre) in March.

Proceeds for the series went to The Hospice at
the Hospital of the St John and St Elizabeth. The
Hospice cares for around 2,000 people every year who
are suffering terminal illnesses. The care model is
underpinned by respect for every patient’s dignity
and their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
It is based at the Hospital of St John & St
Elizabeth, London NW8.

If you would like to make a donation, please
contact the fundraising department: T 020 7806
4011 or E
fundraising@hje.org.uk

The Zephyr debates: a series of lectures
to explore topical and controversial ethical issues

Organised by the British Association of the Order of Malta

Coming up: the very topical issue ‘Is There
Anything Wrong with Altering the Genes of Future
Generations?’ will be examined by Dr David Albert
Jones, Director of the Anscombe Centre for Bioethics
in Oxford (formerly the Linacre Centre), in the
third debate in this well-attended series.

Haiti a year on

Cologne, 12 January 2011

On 12 January 2010, Haiti was struck by a
60-second earthquake. Those few seconds cost
thousands of lives, destroyed livelihoods,
buildings, streets and dreams, and took away the
land and the hopes of many. A year on from the
disaster, the consequences are still clear for all
to see. Yet, considering the scale of the situation,
there is real evidence of progress in the
reconstruction and rehabilitation work.

Athough the latest cholera epidemic has
redirected public attention towards Haiti, 12 months
after the catastrophe the country continues to slip
further into oblivion. However, Malteser
International, the Order of Malta’s international
relief service, has remained in the country to help
the people as they strive for a better future.

At a specially convened conference early last
year to discuss aid for Haiti, Albrecht von
Boeselager, the Grand Hospitaller, stated: ‘The
Order of Malta is there for the long term.’

Click on the picture above to see the recent work
in Haiti - video (4:15 minutes). It shows Malteser
International’s cholera prevention work in the camps
in Port-au-Prince, and basic health care in the
centre in Canapé Vert.

Grand Master addresses the Order's Diplomatic Corps

Rome, 11 January 2011

The Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’
Matthew Festing, received at the Magistral Villa on
the Aventine the Ambassadors of the 104 countries
accredited to the Order for the audience of the
beginning of the new Year.
Click here for the full text of his keynote speech.